Aileen Barton and Emily Davis are co-winners of the prestigious 2015 George Nigh Award at East Central University, it was announced at a luncheon Wednesday, April 22.

Nigh, the former governor of Oklahoma and ECU alumnus, was on hand to present the awards. Nigh served four terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, four as lieutenant governor and two as governor. He was also president of the University of Central Oklahoma.

A three-week summer institute for high school students will offer free Russian language instruction and sessions about Russian culture, June 7-26, at East Central University.

StarTalk 2015 In Search of the Firebird: Connecting Generations through Tradition is designed to improve language skills of students who will be in grades 9-12 next fall by immersing them into the Russian language and culture.

In recognition for service to the community, East Central University’s Rhetta Farrill is one of 11 inspirational college students from across the state to be named a 2015 Newman Civic Fellow by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

A sophomore from Stratford, Farrill has led efforts to improve the welfare of children which have resulted in thousands of dollars in aid to children. She has also worked with several partner organizations to improve conditions for adults and families.

Dr. Thomas A. Zeni, assistant professor of business administration in East Central University’s Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business, has been named a regional recipient of the 2015 Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Teaching Excellence Award.

“I feel excited. It’s great to be recognized for one’s work, but more importantly, this is an exciting time for the Stonecipher School of Business and East Central University,” said Zeni. “We’re all doing great things here and I’m happy my contributions can help get the word out.”

Earning a higher education degree can be a major obstacle for a student with a disadvantaged background.

Like a rags-to-riches type of story in an educational sense, Dr. Carol Fischer, an alumna of the McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program at East Central University, accomplished it and was able to share her story back in March in front of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee in Washington D.C.

East Central University’s Oklahoma Business Week, a unique summer program which enables high school students to take a plunge into a hands-on, real-world type of experience in the business world, was recently recognized with a 2015 Great Inspirations Award at the Creativity World Forum, held recently in Oklahoma City.

East Central University's mission is to foster a learning environment in which students, faculty, staff, and community
interact to educate students for life in a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. Within its service area,
East Central University provides leadership for economic development and cultural enhancement.